Pearl River Rotary Scholarship Foundation Presentations

From the Pearl River Rotary

On Thursday, June 11, 2015 the Pearl River Rotary Scholarship Foundation Board of Trustees President, Donald Brenner, and Rotary Scholarship Selection Committee Chairman, Frank Ripa, along with members of the club presented 20 scholarship winners with awards of $3,000 each for a total of $60,000.

In 1989, under the theme of ‘Making a Difference’, the Scholarship Foundation was chartered by the Pearl River Rotary Club. Its mission was to open educational opportunities for students who are residents of the Pearl River School District through and beyond the 21st century. Since its inception the Rotary Scholarship Foundation has awarded 457 scholarships totaling $692,500.

A local Pearl River businessman and Rotarian, the late Edward Bouton, contributed $50,000 to establish this Scholarship fund and challenged the club membership to match his donation. His challenge was met and with that initial $100,000 fund, augmented by annual fundraising events coupled with perpetual Memorial and Scholarship contributions given by Rotary member and non-member donations, the endowment fund has steadily increased. Today, 26 years later it has grown to $1.3 million. Through prudent investments the Scholarship Foundation uses only the interest from the fund to provide the annual awards. This careful management ensures that the club will be able to continue providing scholarships for years to come.

The following students received awards for 2015/16:

• Emily McCarthy - Edward Bouton Memorial Award
• Christian Stephen Carstensen - Laura Bouton Memorial AwardSamantha O’Grady - Joan A Fury Memorial Award
• Daniel Duggan - Donald & Betsy Brenner Scholarship Award
• Ciara O’Riordan - Robert J Beckerle Memorial Award
• Katherine O’Meara - PRHS Class of 1962 Scholarship Award
• Philip O’Meara - PRHS Class of 1962 Scholarship Award
• Erika Zambrano - Dr. Fred Schroeder Memorial Award
• Daniel Sammon - Jeffrey Keahon Memorial Award
• Kevin Murphy - Heinz Ahlmeyer, Jr. Class of 1961 Memorial Award
• Liam Burke - Gus Pappas Memorial Award
• Kristen Sammon - Jo Ripa Memorial Award
• Sean Reagan Ward - Mark Griffith Sr. Memorial Award
• Adrienne Ammirati – Pearl River Rotary Foundation Award
• Thomas Armour - Pearl River Rotary Foundation Award
• Brian Edsall - Pearl River Rotary Foundation Award
• Mary Galanek- Pearl River Rotary Foundation Award
• Julianna Madigan - Pearl River Rotary Foundation Award
• Emanouil Velinov Manolov - Pearl River Rotary Foundation Award
• Benjamin McDermott - Pearl River Rotary Foundation Award
• *Catherine Rayward - earned a Pearl River Rotary Foundation Award, however, she declined given her acceptance of a full academic scholarship to Notre Dame University

Congratulations to all of these outstanding students and thank you to all the Pearl River Rotarians, and community members, whose efforts past and present continue to make these awards possible.

PHOTO: Rear, Left to Right: Frank Ripa, Ciara O’Riordan, Kristen Sammon, Erika Zambrano, Samantha O’Brady, Catherine Rayward, Dan Sammon, Sean Reagan-Ward, Christian Carstensen, Benjamin McDermott, Daniel Duggan, Brian Edsall, Emanouil Manolov, Donald BrennerFront, Left to Right: Emily McCarthy, Adrienne Ammirati, Julia Madigan, Mary Galanek, Katherine O’Meara, Philip O’Meara, Kevin Murphy, Liam Burke, Thomas Armour/contributed